A Little About SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

How seasonal are you? Not suprisingly there are a lot of you who can say that the have experienced or do regularly experience SAD symptoms. Do you fing yourself slowed down during the fall and winter seasons. Do you feel down in the dumps or truly depressed. Do you gain unwanted weight that refuses to budge? You may be one of millions who suffer from SAD.

Sad causes difficulties at work and in one's personal life. The most cheerful, energetic, productive person during dark winter months becomes a lethargic, irritable hermit. They find it difficult to perform everyday tasks. Their energy level drops and they have concentration problems which are drastically different from their summer months. With the warm, sunny spring months their vitality, energy and love of life returns and they are back to their normal selves.

People with SAD have prolonged episodes of depression at the same time every year; they show up in the short days of September to November and as spring and longer days come back their symptoms dissapate. The depression increases with the shorter hours of light in October and there is a dread of the Daylight Savings Time when the clocks are changed.

Many of these suffers have symptoms to such a degree that it is necessary for them to be treated by a doctor. New techniques with therapy, light therapy and newer medications are used to lift the mood and people have found great success with them. Antidepressants are used to control the depression that drags the person down and the reccurrent depressions can be dispelled and the person can resume life again.

Exercise and diet play a part in fighting the depression caused by the shorter days of winter and if the person can find the motivation to do so the seasonal changes need not be so drastic. Eating a regular diet with low fat and carbohydrates is a natural mood lifter and also keeps off those dreaded pounds.

Artificial light has been proven to be beneficial to SAD suffers and doctors and therapists are using it with great success. Outdoor activity is encouraged and with a regime of meds can have the sufferer back to their summer months.

SAD is not the end of the end with diligence and careful treatment SAD suffers can live their lives without the fear of winter.

Be Your Own Support Group

There are things that you can do for yourself and make your way through the difficult times.

Some people find it hard to confide in others or just do not feel comfortable depending on someone else; for the overly independent Bipolar try these tips to help yourself.

Exercise, physical activity can keep you focused and physically healthier. Socialize find new friends, ride a bus there are always people to chat with and you can relieve stress with a little friendly conversation. Relaxation exercises, listen to music music soothes jagged nerves, dance release all the pent up adrenaline. Pursue your favorite hobby try to keep up with the things you usually enjoy or leanrn a new hobby keeping busy lifts depression. Read a book or try for two take your mind off of what you are feeling by reading about what others are feeling even if it is an imaginary person truth is stranger than fiction. Write about your experiences and you may find that you can learn triggers for your moodswings and ways in which you can limit and reduce them. Write about anything at all let your imagination take you from your pain of depression.

When you are having difficulties in lfe taking your mind off of the overwhelming and returning to a simplistic way of life can hep with the frustrations of trying to stay stable. If you are waiting for medication to work take time off fro your usual schedule and return to a more childlike existance.

Watching the skies and finding enjoyment in little things that are around us takes the big picture of the changes in your life away and you can learn to live Bipolar in peace. Peace for a Bipolar may sound impossible while you are going through a crisis but there is peace for all who seek it and gain the knowledge to use it .